


A Wing and A Were

by Scaramedn



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Drama & Romance, Family, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-04 11:22:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12769989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scaramedn/pseuds/Scaramedn
Summary: Rabbits and foxes seldom get along. The same is true of Weres an Vampires. How bad could it be when a vampire fox meets a were-bun?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was lucky enough to stumble upon the artwork of one xx-junglebeatz-xx on tumblr. I found their artwork to be delightfully quirky and a very fresh, creative take on everyone's favorite mammals. I was inspired. A conversation, some permission and a little collaboration later, I have a new story. Please, check Beatz out on tumblr, if you get a chance. I am in their debt for this story.

Nick leaned back against the tree roots he found himself flopped against. He was starving. He hadn’t had anything in days. Not a drop. If he were a normal vampire, born into the dark blessing, he would have a much easier time of it. Sadly, he was not a born vamp. He still had a century or so before he grew into the same base-level that his adopted sister and parents possessed. The fox groaned as he lay there. It was echoed by his stomach. Not for the first time he wondered if it had a mind of its own. 

He’d made a lot of bad choices in his life, but right at the very top was the series of choices that led him to this starving state. Skye had warned him that taking work from the mob was a bad idea. He’d neatly ignored his sister and gone off to make some pocket money. He’d thought the con out very thoroughly, in his opinion. Get in as a courier, prove his value, propose a little deal, get paid, and scamper. No one would be the wiser about the rug until he was long gone. He had a false identity all set up and everything worked out. It was hardly his fault that the head of the Big family was an ice elemental with an exceptional gift for tracking. 

Nick had made it out of the city by the barest of margins. None of his bolt holes had been safe. None of his preparations had been of any use and his false ID did nothing. That was the last time he’d try to con anyone that powerful. 

“It’s a guarantee I won’t if I starve to final death, first,” he groused impotently to himself. 

The one plus he found in his situation was that the woods he’d hidden in were nice and dense. Old growth forests were good for shade and, therefore, good for him. Sunlight wouldn’t kill him, but it was not pleasant, either. Especially on the eyes. His trademark aviators were no fashion statement. Without them, his eyes would cook in his head inside of an hour on a sunny day and likely take another two or so hours to heal. Nick longed for the day when he could heal like his father. Dad could handle direct sunlight for half a day before suffering any hurt and heal in minutes. All Nick had to do was stay alive for another five hundred years and he’d be all set. 

Taking stock of his situation was a waste of time. He was decently safe, had almost nothing. His phone was gone, as were most of his other possessions. He had his wallet, his real wallet, and a little cash. Not enough for anything useful and he had no place to spend it anyway, being in the middle of the woods.

The only chance Nick had was finding a mammal to feed on. He had a little strength left. Maybe enough for a little mesmerizing and a mind blank. It would just take a swallow or two to last him another twelve hours. Then, he could repeat the process. Once he found one mammal, they would lead him to others. Once a new hunting ground was had, there’d be sustenance aplenty to last him until the heat on his tail died down. 

He was gathering himself to start moving when he heard movement. It sounded like something big. If it was a bear, he’d be saved. Larger mammals had more blood to spare with less effect. Nick might just be able to fill his belly and not cause any harm. It was too much to hope for. Acting quickly, Nick burned a meagre drop of his remaining power to amp up his olfactory perception. Inhaling deeply, Nick’s elation turned to dread. The smell was bizarre. There was too much in it to decipher, but one note in the mammal’s odor made it clear Nick was in serious trouble. The mammal was headed his way, and there was no mistaking that what was headed his way was a lycanthrope. 

The Truce had held for over two centuries between the vampires and lycanthropes, but there was still a lot of bad blood between the species. Weres had the right to destroy any vampire trespassing on their territory. That didn’t apply in the city so much as official “territories” were forbidden. There were too many normies around, so everyone played nice and got along to get along. Quite a few of the mammals Nick had business dealings with from time to time were Weres. Hells, his partner was one! That didn’t mean that Finnnick wouldn’t bite his face off if Nick irritated him too much, but they knew each-others’ limits. One might even claim they were on friendly terms. 

This was not the city. Nick was starved to weakness and in a lycanthrope’s territory. All he had to work with was his silver tongue. It was a long shot, but better than nothing. Even at their best, a lone vamp in a Were’s territory would likely not survive, especially a starved one. His only chance was to talk his way out of it, but, given his recent track record, that wasn’t likely. He’d used every shred of beguilement and charm to talk Mr. Big into allowing him to flee for his life. Now? With depleted powers he was all but certainly doomed. 

How ironic. He’d meet his end, not at the paw of a mob boss, but a Beast. He’d be torn apart by a slavering monster instead of being turned into an ice sculpture. His sister would never let him live this down. That is, if he could be resurrected, or would want to be. Even if his family could find his remains and execute the ritual, it might not work. He was still only about twenty years into the Dark Blessing, so it wasn’t a guarantee. Besides, Nick did not fancy the idea of having to put himself back together on top of everything else.

Nick was pulled from his distracted reverie as a thicket on the rise across from him rustled. The Beast was not attempting quiet or subtlety. All Nick could see against the moonlight was a hulking mass of muscle and fur. The thing was enormous. Easily the size of a bear. Luminous amethyst eyes shone in the dark. 

The beast paused, scenting the air. Nick mustered himself in the face of his fear to at least attempt to talk the Beast away from mauling him, but was shocked still when the massive being’s head cocked to the side as though confused and two long, obviously lapin ears popped up on the top of its head.

The wind blew straight out of Nick’s sails and he slumped back down, groaning. “Of all the things I could be killed by, it just had to be a were-rabbit.”


	2. Chapter 2

Judy enjoyed patrolling her territory. It was always calming to her, wandering the woods and keeping trespassers off her and her family’s lands. The most she usually came across was some kids from the town, or nearby college having a bonfire in the woods and drinking. A few growls and snarls sent them scurrying away quickly enough. She had heard rumors on campus that the woods were haunted by a vengeful spirit. She couldn’t help but giggle. She was already an urban legend on one count. Earning a second was a strange point of pride for her. 

Since she had ascended and her Beast had awoken just before her tenth birthday, she’d been kind of an outsider, but it didn’t bother her much. She had a few good friends that she kept in touch with and her aspirations to pursue. Those, combined with her duties to her family, were enough to satisfy her. Once she got her degree, she already had an internship with the Tri-Burrows Sheriff’s Office and it had been hinted that it was a temp-to-perm position, in her case. 

What her parents wanted for her, it was not. They were still hoping that she’d find a nice buck, one that wouldn’t run screaming for the hills when they found out the Hopps family was a lycanthropic bloodline, and settle down. That was absolutely not what she wanted. She wanted a career in law enforcement. It could only last so long, of course. Her enhanced lifespan would require her to end her career after twenty or so years. It wasn’t uncommon, but in her family it was less so. The majority of her relatives spent their days as carrot farmers, unless they inherited the blessing of the Blood. In that case, they were most likely to tie themselves to the land and defend it, in addition to tending the crops.

That was the one part of her situation that made Judy’s lot in life bearable. Her Beast tied her to her homeland, so her dream of being a big-city cop was all but impossible. She would have to settle for being a deputy and eventually sheriff for a time, before retiring to fulfill her duty. If she wanted to leave the lands she had been born to, she would have to find a new home and put down roots there, otherwise her Beast would whither. It could be done, but the few tales she heard of it happening were not happy in the rare case they were successful, at all.

The only story she heard of a Lycanthrope finding a new home was more a fairytale than fact. A sad, romantic yarn of a mammal who possessed the Blessed Blood and chose to leave his home and clan to pursue a great love. Supposedly, the love and support of the mammal’s mate helped him survive the isolation and rooted him in his new lands far more surely than could have been accomplished on his own. It was a sweet tale, but more cautionary tale than anything else; a fantasy and a warning. Once the lycanthrope had severed his connection and rooted himself elsewhere he could never return to his family, but he did survive and founded another clan in a faraway land. 

Farming the land and protecting it was absolutely what her family was all about. Both her parents were of the Bloodline, so it wasn’t a surprise that they were so tied to the land, or that she and her Beast met so young. Most born lycanthropes didn’t ascend until their mind-to-late teens. Her first transformation came shortly after the altercation with the Grey todd and now, she was one of the strongest in her family, certainly the strongest in her generation. She supposed she should be grateful for her childhood bully for being the catalyst, but she hadn’t seen him since that day and she wasn’t about to give credit unless he deserved it. Judith Laverne Hopps was not the selflessly forgiving kind. She expected at least some form of repentance before she’d consider it. It was a Were thing.

Another Were thing were heightened senses, including smell. That was why she was so far out on her patrol. She had planned to follow the river east to the limit of the forest and then head south until the ravine. It was a long hike, but her Beast would make short work of it. By her calculations, she would be home two hours before dawn. Plenty of time for a nap before she headed into campus for her 10:50 criminology course. 

That was before she caught the scent of something strange. It smelled like a male fox, but there was something queer about it. Her Beast would not let her discard it, even with promises to come back later and check it out. One thing that non-Were’s failed to comprehend was that a lycanthrope was not one being, but two in one body. Ascension merely woke the Beast aspect of the lycanthrope’s personality up, unless they were made. That was a whole box of frogs Judy had no interest in thinking about. It had been enough of a challenge for her at age ten to meet a whole other personality in her own head, let along learn to negotiate with it. Thankfully, she had recently learned about Venn Diagrams in school, so for once her father’s explanations of something were helpful. 

When she was herself, Judy was in control and the Beast took a back seat. She was always there, but she was observing, not in control. When Judy went Were, the roles were reversed. They could influence each other and argue, even act as a reality check when they were in the back seat. However, who was in charge was non-negotiable. It was not only a fact of reality, but one of the things she and her alter ego had agreed upon first. The only exception lay in when either of them felt they were being placed at risk by the others’ actions. That hadn’t happened often. Judith and her Beast were very good about communicating and explaining. It was one of the reasons she was so powerful and so respected by her clan. 

Unfortunately for Judy, Beast was in charge when they found the strange smell and would not let it go. As it was not a danger and Judy could find no substantial objections, she found herself traveling north from the bend at Snaketail Island. That was perhaps two thirds of the distance downriver she had intended to go. Judy was annoyed that her plans had been so neatly discarded. At Beast’s reminder, a strange smell meant an intruder. It was their responsibility to get rid of them. Judy sighed her agreement and they tracked the strange smell through the undergrowth. 

It was a relatively short trek, only a half-dozen miles or so, but slow. They didn’t want to spook whatever it was, so they proceeded both slowly and without stealth. Judy was confused, but Beast was insistent that this was the right way to go about approaching. They’d been on many hunts, both for sport and duty, but never had Judith known her other half to discard such an advantage so readily. She reasoned that it was something new, so they were suspending judgement until they understood the nature of whatever it was a bit better. They could always terrify it until it was gone, or shred it to flinders. They’d done it before. 

They finally got close and Beast picked up on something that set their fur on end. Their ears perked and heard the fox, for that’s what it was mutter, “Of all the things I could be killed by, it just had to be a were-rabbit.” It knew what they were. Another tentative step and they got the answer they had been seeking. The fox smiled, showing a set of too-sharp canines next to their regular fangs. 

Vampire. 

Judy charged.


	3. Chapter 3

Nick shot into the air like a bullet; a terrified, fleeing-for-its-undead-life bullet. Of all the vampire powers he was supposed to get, the only one that had come in fully for him was flight. It still burned a massive amount of his power and he was starving by the time he landed most of the time, but when it came to flight, he was at least as capable as the rest of his family. He also had a tiny little ace in the hole. One of the few benefits to being a changed vamp instead of a born one was that parts of his body were slower to accept the Dark Blessing. For example, the endocrine system. He still had Adrenalin. Nick was superbly grateful for this mortal carryover as his wings carried him above his attacker and into the cover of the trees.

Sadly, the little strength Nick had left and would run out quickly. He had just enough to escape the Beast’s initial charge and craft the shadows to conceal him long enough to find a tree to hide in. Once that was done, he was spent. Shaky paws gripped the bark of the old oak tree as his labored breathing slowed. Nick was sure he had given the Were the slip until he opened his eyes and saw the same glowing amaranthine stare boring through him from the ground. Before he could even attempt to do anything, the Beast snarled and with a roar charged away from the trunk, full tilt. 

For a moment Nick was completely bewildered. From all he had learned, Weres would never cease a hunt once they began one and he was certainly being hunted. His confusion lasted until he saw the massive lycanthrope launch itself at a tree nearby, rebound off a branch and come barreling back towards his tree at a distressing speed. To his added dismay, the grey-furred meteor dipped its shoulder into a graceful turn, mid-air. Now, its feet were headed straight for him. Almost. 

The split heartbeat of hope the fox experienced quickly expired as he realized he was wrong. Judging the trajectory, the Were would miss him completely. He had assumed the stupid monster had misjudged their attack and he would be spared. That lasted until the massive hind paws impacted the trunk of the tree Nick was cowering in. He managed to say “Sweet Jellied Crickets…” as his branch disappeared from under him. Then, his mouth was full of moss and heavy forest loam as he found himself slapping into the mossy forest floor in an undignified heap.

Nick spit out his mouthful of worm food and flopped onto his back, staying exactly where he was. He groaned with his eyes closed and waited for the end. He was toast. No power, starving, weak and now knocked out of his tree. He felt more like an overripe fig than a supposed apex predator of the supernatural sort. Any second he’d be turned into a fine red mist all over the forest floor. There were many self-recriminations that made their way through his head, but one puzzle drowned out the undercurrent of whining, and that was how on Gaia’s green earth he was alive to have the complaints in the first place. As soon as he hit the ground he’d expected limbs to be forcibly removed, yet here he was several seconds later, entirely intact. 

Pitiful, but intact.

He cracked an eye and glared irately at his attacker. The monster wasn’t attacking. It was shaking. Specifically, staring at him and quivering. Nick did not get the sense that it was in any way afraid of him. It appeared to be more conflicted. That was very strange on the heels of the gracefully executed hunt it had just executed. His regard for her hunting skills was not enough to quell his resignation. 

“Oh, come on, you dumb bunny. Just eat me already.”

A weird double voice answered, “I am not a dumb bunny!”

Nick blinked. Weres weren’t supposed to be able to speak. He fainted.

Meanwhile, Judy was furious and completely confused. The hunt had been a success, but not because of her and her Beast working together. If she’d had her way, the rebound from the tree would have caught him in the chest, crushing his bones and he would already be in pieces. Instead, Beast had redirected the force of the attack to merely stun their quarry. Now, he was grounded and immobile. Perfect for a quick dismemberment. She still had time to get done her patrol and get an hour or two of rest before she had to get to her classes. She’d be a little groggy, but that was a small price to pay and easily remedied by with coffee. 

Beast loved coffee even more than she did, but the repeated offers and promises did nothing to spur Her to finish their job. Judy wasn’t in charge, so all she could do was try to convince Her to kill it, but nothing worked. Instead, Beast stood there resting on her haunches, fighting her and sniffing at the vampire. 

She saw him move. It was barely enough to lift his head and crack an eye. He muttered Oh, come on, you dumb bunny. Just eat me already.”

On reflex Judy blurted “I am not a dumb bunny!”, before slapping her paws over her muzzle. 

That had never happened before. For a moment she was afraid she had offended her Beast by wresting away control, but She seemed just as shocked. Speech shouldn’t have been possible for them at all like this. A lycanthrope could only speak in their Were form when and if the mammal and their Beast were in perfect unity. Usually, they had to either shift back to their regular mammal form. It only happened because the vampire called her cute.

The vampire!

Judy snapped herself out of her fugue expecting him to have vanished. She’d caught the intruder once. She did not want to waste the time needed to hunt him down again. She needn’t have worried. He’d fainted. 

Judy huffed to herself. At least there was that. A quick kill and they’d be done. At least it was asleep, so it wouldn’t feel much. Judy popped back into paying attention just in time to see that she was sniffing him! Not generally, either. Beast was practically burrowing into the vampire, pawing at his clothes. For a heartbeat Judy remembered that they’d never seen a vampire before. Beast’s curiosity was understandable, but there’d be plenty of time to smell him after he was dead! They could come back after classes and spend all the time She wanted sniffing his scraps, but Beast was not having it. The worst part of it was that She wouldn’t tell Judy why!

Some time later, Nick slowly resurfaced. He felt groggy and oddly ruffled. The moonlight and feeling of the air told him he’d been out for a few minutes only. The feeling of someone watching him told him it hadn’t been a nightmare. 

A rabbit sat on a log a few feet away from him. A regular rabbit. A regular naked rabbit who didn’t seem uncomfortable at all around him, or being in the middle of the forest without a stitch on. Nick moved this to the top of his weirdest experiences of all-time list and hazarded a greeting.

“Please don’t eat me.” He was an idiot.

“I don’t eat junk food. Why are you here?”

“Not by choice. If I had known this was a lycanthrope claim, I’d have stayed well away.”

“Good to know, but not what I asked. Why are you here?”

“I’m… starving.”

That got a strange look from the rabbit.

Nick hurried on, “I made a few enemies back in the city. I ended up here by chance running for my life. I’m not trying to trespass, or anything, I just want to lie low for a while and I’ll be on my way.”

“No.”

Well, that wasn’t good. “No, what?”

“You won’t be on your way. Vampires can’t travel well if they’re starving.”

“You’re well informed.”

“Just stories. Nice to hear one of them is true.” The rabbit looked at him hard and asked, “How can you be in such bad shape? I can smell that you fed two days ago. Shouldn’t you be satisfied longer than that, if you’re hiding?” 

The note of suspicion in her voice set all Nick’s fur on end. He opted for a mostly-truth answer. That didn’t make it any less embarrassing. “I’ve got a fast metabolism. Feeding doesn’t last for me as long as it does for other vampires and I used a lot of my strength in escaping.”

“I see.”

“Look, I don’t have any blood packs…”

“Blood packs? Why would you have those?”, Judy asked both confused and disgusted.

“Um, to eat? That’s how I usually get my blood, back home.”

“So, you don’t drink from other mammals.” Her retort was rife with sarcasm. “Right.”

“I can, but I prefer not to.”

“And why is that?”

“Um… Intimacy issues? Look, I know it sounds weird, but drinking from a mammal isn’t done lightly. My parents raised me better than that.”

Judy sat and processed what she had just heard. Intimacy? Really? That was… unexpected. Nothing like what she’d been told about vampires. 

“So, you don’t sneak into homes, drain mammals dry and raise them as slaves, then?”

“Absolutely not! Where did you get that idea from?”

His indignity was real and she didn’t smell any indicators that he was lying. His hurried plea cut her off mid-thought.

“Look, I just need enough blood to keep myself alive until it’s safe to go home. If you can point me towards a town…”

Judy snarled. “Liar! You just said you don’t feed on mammals”

“I don’t like it, but I’m desperate!”, Nick whined. “I need a couple swallows so I don’t starve to death. Two mouthfuls should last me twelve hours, if I don’t use my powers. If I take it from a larger mammal, they’ll barely notice it.”

Judy’s reply was tart. “I think they’d notice fang marks.” 

“No. My saliva speeds the healing process and I’m very careful with my feeding. They might notice a small itchy feeling, but the wound would be gone.”

“Are you serious?”

“My father was very thorough in his lessons on feeding. Living mortals are a last resort and he would kill me if I harmed one.”

Another bizarre statement from the vampire fox and no indicators of lies. Curioser and curioser… Speaking of curious, Beast was acting weird again. Judy had managed to negotiate taking control, but it had come with a price in coffee and something else that embarrassed the daylights out of her. Beast’s love of kit’s movies was a point of absolute confusion to her and Beast never explained. She did not want to get caught watching another animated kit’s movie in the Barracks, again. 

Unfortunately, that would have to wait. She was not about to turn this vampire loose on the town. His honesty notwithstanding, even if he was somehow a vampire that wasn’t a sadistic freak like she’d heard, defending the town and her territory was her duty. Letting him use it as a hunting ground would be a violation of her most basic duty. However, there was no other option. Unless she was going to feed him herself…

Beast’s attention suddenly slammed into her consciousness with the force of a train, pushing her to do exactly that. Judy couldn’t believe her figurative ears. Her Beast wanted to feed this vampire with her own blood. Not for the first time that night, Judy wondered if her other half had gone barking mad. Then, She offered a bargain. Judy would be spared the possibility of embarrassing movie choices, but there was a price attached. Blood for the vampire and one other concession. Easily as embarrassing, but not public. 

Judy’s mortification and fear of her Beast’s insanity warred with her desire to not embarrass herself in the Barracks and hope to end her patrol with no further fuss. It was a very near thing.

“Alright, fox. I’ll make you a deal. My Beast likes you.”

“Your what in the who now?”

Judy sighed. “My lycan personality.”

“Hold up there, Carrots, are you telling me there are two of you in there?”

“Yes. There’s me, Judith, and my Beast. We live I the same body.”

“Like a timeshare?”

Judy blinked at that. “Weirdly, yes. And don’t call me Carrots!”

“No promises there. I’m Nick, by the way.”

“Nick, huh?”

“Nick Wilde. And you are Judith…?”

“Judy. Judy Hopps.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now, what is this deal of yours?”

“Not mine. Beast’s.”

“Right.”

“Let’s just call it mine…” Judy pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay, I’ll give you one swallow from me. In my Were form, it won’t be too bad a loss and if you try anything funny, I pulverize you. Deal?”

“Um, I need at least two to make it to nightfall.”

“If you’re telling the truth about your healing saliva, you’ll get a second.”

“Alright. I can’t argue the terms, but this’ll buy me a day. I can’t go home for a while still and I’ll be back to starving tomorrow.”

“We’ll talk about that tomorrow.”

Nick blinked. He wasn’t positive, but it sounded like he might get another meal the next day. That was generous, he supposed. Even if it wasn’t it was more than he had. He was curious to know why, but it would be foolish to press his luck. He had to prove himself first. 

“The deal sounds good to me. I mean, not starving sounds amazing, but what do you get out of it?”

Now, Nick was surprised to see the little bunny with the titanic presence act nervous. “I don’t get anything, now. If you haven’t lied to me, I might be willing to trade blood for conversation. Tomorrow, maybe after sunset?”

“Alright, but what about this meal? I’m not trying to talk you out of it, but it doesn’t sound like you’re getting anything to compensate you.”

Judy muttered something. “Sorry, Carrots, I missed that.”

Judy snorted and bit out, “Five minutes.”

“Five minutes of what?”

“Beast’s price. She wants you for five minutes.”

“I suppose you are buying me dinner…”

Judy’s ears flamed red and her temper flared hot. “Not like that, you dope! She wants you to do as she says for five minute. Fully clothed!”

“Ok, I can work with that. Will she tell me what she wants?”

“She can’t.”

“I’m confused. Earlier, she spoke.”

“That was both of us. It doesn’t happen often. We’re non-verbal when she’s in charge.”

“Most of the time.,” Nick chided.

“Yes, yes. Most of the time.”

“So how will she…?”

“She’ll make it clear. She’s very good about communicating, despite not speaking. Now, do we have a deal or not?”

“Yes, we have a deal.” They shook paws. 

Judy took a few steps back once their paws parted, shifted to her Were form and held out her arm before she realized that he was staring slack-jawed. Nick had never seen a lycanthrope change forms and he wasn’t sure whether to be fascinated, or faint. Judy cocked her head and the movement snapped Nick out of his stupor. He shook himself and addressed himself to his meal.

Feeding Etiquette was a matter of pride in his family. Feeding was an intimacy, therefore, unless it was done with someone they were close to, there were certain protocols to follow. Was it an emergency? Yes. Was she willing? Yes. Was she getting something in exchange? Yes. Was she at risk? 

Nick looked up at the massive being of muscle and remembered her warning. 

No. No, she was not at risk. 

Nick took her arm in his paws and sniffed to find an appropriate vein in the wrist. Carefully concealing his fangs under his lip, he placed them very carefully and applied just enough pressure with his lower jaw to puncture the blood vessel. After a moment, the hot red liquid began to drip onto his tongue and pool. He forced himself to focus on anything but the taste. That was a fast way to lose oneself to the Thirst and that was poor manners. In this case it would be fatal. 

Instead, he did as he had been taught. Savor afterwards. His first responsibility was to his host. 

Vampire bites could cause many different reactions, depending on the mammal. Nick was very well aware of what to look out for. He was careful to track her scent. She was a mass of many scent markers. Most were unfamiliar, but he did not smell any of the markers to indicate distress, or panic. She wasn’t thrilled and was very uncomfortable, but that was only to be expected. Adrenalin, anxiety, frustration, a little curiosity; all very much expected and normal. 

Once he had a swallow of the life-giving liquid in his mouth, he carefully lifted his fangs from her flesh and swallowed. Then, he set about cleaning up after himself. He laved the wound with his tongue to close it, first, before moving on to lap up every trace and drop on her arm. He was very thorough. By the time he was done, the wound had closed, leaving two ruby pinpoints where his fangs had been. A final pass with his tongue saw them removed and he stepped back. It was only a mouthful, but he felt surprisingly sated. Blood packs were the preferred and more plentifully available source of his food, but fresh from the vein was a much different experience. Like home cooking after a stint of take out. 

Then, the rush hit. Normally, he felt a little rush like the first jolt of coffee, after feeding. Feeding from a mammal was akin to a double espresso, while a blood pack was a cup of good diner coffee. This, however, was jet fuel. Her blood flowed like hot quicksilver through him. One mouthful of her blood and he felt like he’d gorged himself. It was a bizarre feeling. So bizarre and intense that he felt dizzy from the wave of feeling accompanying it. The flavor of her blood and the rush accompanying it were spectacular. It was the best meal he’d ever had.

Judy watched the process with a sense of morbid fascination. It seemed almost ritualistic. For some reason, Beast chimed in with a reference to her favorite movie, Paws and Prejudice. The manners the characters had employed at formal table were strangely similar to how the fox was addressing his meal. The parallel made her want to giggle, until the fangs came to bear. 

It was an odd feeling. Not bad, but not good either. It was clear Nick was trying to be as restrained as possible. A few brief moments passed before the fox lifted his teeth free and swallowed before cleaning her up with an unexpected efficiency. She had to admit, the healing saliva was no lie. Moments after he swallowed, the wound was gone, her arm was clean.

That was when it got weird. 

The fox seemed to wobble at the knees and lose his equilibrium for a moment, but stabilized himself. Then, to Judy’s utter amazement, he practically hugged her arm and ran his tongue languidly over the spot he had just healed. It was almost pornographic, if not for the act then the expression on his face of sheer pleasure. He went back over the area he had just cleaned with the same, long strokes of his tongue, savoring every drop. 

She was too shocked to move, which was why he didn’t get slapped. Judy’s shock only got worse as she saw the change in the fox as he went from starved to fed. When she had cornered him, he’d looked like a ratty old rag doll. Now, he looked like a new plushie. His fur filled out, glossy and russet in the pre-dawn light; his lean frame less brittle looking; sunken eyes shining. He looked like a new fox, complete with a laconic demeanor and an easy smile. 

“Are you ok, Carrots?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“You did it again.”

Judy popped her mouth shut. She had spoken in Were form, again. The fox’s smug grin irritated her for some reason and she slid through the change again, back to her usual rabbit self. “That’s how vampires feed, is it?”

“More or less. I hope it wasn’t too bad for you.”

“No, it was weird, but not a bad experience. I think.”

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“You’re acting weird.”

“We only just met.” Nick relented under her steely gaze. He may have been fed, but he was still very much at her mercy. “Your blood was… intense. Feeding from a living source is always more potent than a blood pack, but you are on a whole other level.”

“Is that good?”

“Well, I won’t need to eat until well after nightfall, if that’s what you mean.”

“You don’t want the second swallow we agreed on?”

Nick considered for a moment. Hesitantly, he replied, “No. I don’t think so. Not because it was bad, or anything, I assure you. I’m just full.” The last sentence was delivered with a clear degree of confusion on his part. Judy was unsure how to take that. Fortunately, the fox spoke up. “Usually, I’d need a lot more to feel this sated. I’m surprised.”

“We can figure that out later. Are you ready to fulfill your part of the bargain?”

“Five minutes with Beast? Absolutely. 100%.”

“And our agreement about your next meal?”

“Don’t worry, Carrots. I feel full, but my metabolism will leave me hungry well before midnight. I’m not going anywhere. We can negotiate then, as agreed.”

“Good. This is my region, so as long as you don’t stray too far from here, you’ll be safe.”

“Is the clearing we met in acceptable? I found a nice hollow tree to sleep in.”

“That’s fine. Now, just hang on.”

Judy shifted again. She could feel the giddy anticipation from Beast roiling through her, just under the skin. Not for the first time that night, Judy wondered what her Beast was up to. As soon as the change was complete she found out, as did the interloper. Nick found himself awkwardly hanging off the ground, planted against a steel wall covered in rabbit fur and barely able to breathe. Judy had lunged forward the moment she was in Were form and snatched nick into a hug. She was now cuddling him in a very kit-like way. Beast was so happy she was purring. It sounded like the engine of a mac truck. Judy was mortified. 

After five minutes, Judy held Beast to her word and Nick was placed on the ground looking rumpled and confused, but no worse for wear. Making her excuses, Judy hightailed it back towards the farmhouse. She had so many questions. Some, she’d be asking Nick at their next meeting, like the whole deal with the licking and, if he wasn’t seeing things, his forked tongue? She’d learned a lot about vampires, but there was never any mention of forked tongues, or table manners, or… well, any of what she’d heard or seen. He was totally different from everything she’d heard. 

Against her better judgement, she was curious. Unfortunately, curiosity was a double-edged sword. Her own might get her in a trouble. Her Mother’s curiosity could get her into a lot. On her way home, Judy stopped at the river to bathe. Being one of the strongest Weres in her family came with some advantages. She bathed and scrubbed herself until she could only faintly smell the vampire on her fur. A smell that weak would only be detectable by her mother in Were form or possibly her grandfather. No real risk there, as he rarely left his room anymore. 

Bonnie Hopps, matriarch of the clan, met Judy at the door. Judy made her report. No major events. One trespasser. Patrol complete, if modified due to unforeseen events. She’d cover the ground she’d missed in the next patrol or two. 

Everything was smooth sailing until Bonnie caught the scent of a male. It was unusual for her daughter to be in the company of a male of any kind. It had to be the intruder, but it was noteworthy enough to be worth the asking. She had to inquire. 

“He’s just a stray, mom. He’s no threat and will be gone before long. I’ll keep an eye on him and make sure he leaves.”

Judy knew her answer was unsatisfactory and it left a lot unanswered, but her mother didn’t press. It was a minor thing and Judy was not one to make exceptions like this. There was no way her daughter would risk the safety of her family, or allow a stranger to trespass. There had to be a reason she allowed this male to stay, but to pry would indicate a lack of trust. Bonnie elected to be patient and trust in her child. The truth would come to light in time. 

Judy made it to her bed in the Barracks almost two hours later than she had hoped for. Coffee would be the word of the day. All she had to do was get through two classes, catch the 3:25 bus and finish her essay before 8:00. Then she’d have four hours to sleep before her patrol. Beast was unhelpful in settling to sleep, so Judy made an addendum to her plans. An hour of sleep would be sacrificed so she and her other half could have a nice chat about Her interest in that vampire fox. Hopefully, then she’d have some idea of what her Beast was up to.


	4. Chapter 4

Judy had to admit she was content with her situation. As awkward as it was for her to visit someone just for cuddles, it did have its perks. Beast was happier than Judy had ever seen her and once she’d gotten over the awkwardness, she found she enjoyed his company, more or less. He was sarcastic and a bit rude, but he had experienced a huge number of things she’d only ever read about. 

Every evening for the first two weeks after finding the vampire, she found herself dragged to his little hollow in the woods by Beast. She still had her usual patrols and checks to perform, but she made sure to visit the fox’s hollow at least once a night. The one evening she had suggested otherwise, Beast had thrown a tantrum and flatly refused to do anything. Being the one in charge, She had control. Judy had tried to reason with Her for over an hour before realizing it would be faster just to give in. Once she did, Beast had sprinted to Nick like a shot and cuddled him viciously. 

That had been awkward. That wasn’t to say that Judy didn’t find it amusing. For as cool and collected as Nick acted, he was stripped of any dignity as soon as Beast got her paws on him. Being treated like a stuffed toy was hardly conducive to the persona he liked to present, after all. Judy learned that the day after her first encounter.

Judy had woken early and guzzled coffee until she felt mildly functional. Then, she attended to her chores and gotten through classes as quickly as she could. Her bus ride home was made with another carafe of coffee under her belt and she tossed together possibly the most half-baked paper she had ever written as soon as she got home. All this impatience was due to Beast and the constant pestering to get back to Nick. 

After all the years she had possessed her alter ego, Judy had thought she understood Beast well. Now, she was completely at a loss. The reason she had skirted the bare minimum of her responsibilities for the day and was foregoing her usual nap was because she and Beast needed to talk. 

Once inside the confines of the forest Judy relaxed. Few mammals came there other than her and the sun was only a sliver on the horizon. She settled on a rock and forced her mind to calm. To anyone outside her family, she would look like she was meditating, or communing with nature, or something. In reality, she was just talking to herself. 

Alright, Beast. What’s going on?

Nothing. We go?

Don’t give me that. The vampire! 

Yes. We go?

No. You answer. Why didn’t we kill him? Why did you stop us?

I’m curious about that myself.

Judy fell off the rock she was perched on. Vampiric telepathy. Of course. She’d heard of it, but that was all. This was the first time she’d experienced another mammal’s mind touching her own. She felt intruded upon. Almost violated; certainly, from a privacy standpoint. She was going to thrash that blood drinking jerk when she saw him next and no mistake.

Of coursed all her plotting for immanent dismemberment of the vulpine variety were curtailed when Beast shouted in her head.

Dolly can hear me!

Judy found herself stuffed into the back seat as Beast took control and barreled through the woods. She was glad that Beast removed her clothes on the fly, before transforming. Bursting seams and ripping cloth was good in the movies, but nothing was as uncomfortable as seams digging into your flesh. She’d tried it once. Gnawing your way out of your clothes was not dignified. It was also expensive. 

Nick’s vague complaining and confusion echoed through her head, but she ignored it. She was too shaken by the utter joy Beast was experiencing along with a strange sense of expectation. It only got worse as she burst out of the underbrush and sighted the fox.

Judy heard “I’m not a-“, before Beast had her arms clamped around him in a crushing hug. Then, it was “I’m a dolly! I am a dolly! I’m a dolly that needs air! Carrots! Let me breathe!”

I thought vampires didn’t need to breathe. 

Ugh... we don’t. Mostly. Born vampires never experience breathing. I was turned. It’s mostly psychosomatic, but I need to breathe for at least another four or five years. After that it’ll be a habit I’ll lose over time. 

That got Beast to hold him up and they looked at him oddly. “A little of me is still mortal.” 

I’ve never heard of that. Don’t you die or something and then come back?

Beast stuffed him back against her and trilled happily, to Judy’s embarrassment. Switching between vocal and telepathic speech was confusing as all hell, but Beast was not giving up control. 

In made for TV movies, yeah. Becoming a vampire is a lot like going through puberty, again. Only it lasts about a hundred years. 

Eww...

Yeah. The whole “new urges” thing is fun, let me tell you. Suddenly having lust and hunger linked in your head is not at all comfortable. Getting turned on when your stomach growls is really weird for the first year or two. 

That comment gave even Beast pause and that allowed Judy to negotiate a quick swap of control. Even Beast wanted to hear more and not mentally.

“Oh, another thing,” Nick continued aloud once Judy was changed back to bunny form and he was released. “We don’t spend the first decade of life as vampires as slavering blood junkies. It’s mostly a series of adjustments. Not fun ones.” 

“Like what?”

“Food doesn’t satisfy, or taste the same. I can eat as much as I like, but it won’t nourish me. The most it’ll do is give me a belly ache. Beautiful, sunny summer days are horrible. Everything smells weird for a long time. The synesthesia thing sucks getting used to, too, until you figure out how to control it. Ever hear a smell? Not a fun experience at first.”

“Wait. Synesthesia? As in linked senses? Hearing colors and all that?”

“Yeup. My first experience with that was in the hold of a fishing boat. I’ll let you imagine...”

“I think I’ll pass.” 

“Hmm...”

“So, why did you do it?”

“Because I loved my family. My dad died when I was in diapers. My mom raised me until I was ten. Then, she got sick. I went to live with an old friend of hers after she died. He was a vampire. They became my new family.” 

Now, this was unexpected. Candor and honesty from a night-stalking blood sucker? Possibly the last thing she had ever expected. As odd as it sounded, she wanted to know more. 

“So, what’s it like?”

“Annoying, so far. A fledgling vampire is basically a mortal with some allergies and dietary restrictions. The powers rarely come in fully, at first. It’ll take about a century for a fledgling like me to get to where my sister was born. Supposedly, on the 100th anniversary of my turning, my powers will come to me, but that may just be a story they tell fledglings to help them endure the change.” 

“You sound sad. Do you regret being turned?”

“No. It’s just hard finding out that really being a part of the family is a hundred years off. I still have 79 years and eight months to go and that’s assuming I get my full powers on my century. What about you, Carrots? Ever regret being a lycanthrope?”

She was surprised at the question. It wasn’t something she really thought about much. She didn’t see the point. However, she did feel a touch of empathy for her trespasser turned guest. A little reciprocation was in order.

“I can’t say I do. It’s lonely sometimes, but I always have my Beast with me.”

“Convenient. You always have company with you.” 

“Sort of. I love her and she’s a part of me, but it wasn’t always so easy. I ascended young. That means I didn’t have much of a childhood.” 

“Really?”

“Yup! Once my parents were sure I wasn’t in danger of being overwhelmed by Her, I became a full clan member. I’ve been doing patrols and protecting my family’s lands since I was eleven.” 

“So, no sleepovers, or prom? Boyfriends?”

“If I could fit them in. Wasn’t often. It’s hard to find a boyfriend when you have no free time after sunset. Harder to sneak one into your room when you live in the Barracks with all the other Werebuns.” 

“Ouch.”

They shared a small laugh that evening. It was one of several surprises. They chatted the evening away as Nick accompanied her on patrol. At the end of the night Judy offered a meal, as agreed and Nick accepted, but only took a small sip. When Judy asked why, Nick joked about her being too rich a meal. Apparently, he’d suffered a bellyache for most of the daylight hours and barely slept at all. 

From that night on, they settled into a routine. Most nights, either she would collect him, or he would find her in the forest and they’d patrol together. At the end of the night, he would feed from her in Beast form and they’d go their separate ways. It wasn’t every night. Sometimes they’d meet up just for his meal and a little conversation, but most evenings were spent in one another’s company. It was not trusting at first, this little acquaintanceship they had formed. Over the passing weeks, they became more comfortable with each other and, with Beast’s encouragement, an unlikely friendship of sorts grew. 

That little meeting of the minds was weeks ago, now, and Judy had shed her distrust for the most part. She appreciated her new friend for both how different he was and how similar. Yes, he was a vampire and came from the city, but he was also very much an outlier. Not really at home with his family. Few friends. Not many mammals he trusted, or liked. Somehow, they worked nicely together. They were good company. Good enough, anyway, for her to tolerate several evenings in a row, each week, at least. 

That was why she smelled like him when she came home so often. That scent in turn was what her mother had noticed, sparking the request she had made. That request was why Judy was nervously approaching the place she thought of as Foxhollow where Nick was staying, just after sunset. Seeing her companion of many evenings waiting for her, she suddenly felt a touch shy.

“Hey, Carrots. Ready to go?”

“Um, not yet. I have to ask you something, first.”

“Really? What’s that?”

“How would you feel about meeting my family?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so, we come to the end, at least for this portion of the story. I will be revisiting this AU in the future, but I want to wait until I can do it justice. In the meantime, know that the vampire fox and were-bun are not gone. They're merely napping before the next adventure begins.

Nick was extremely apprehensive. The eventual, inevitable meeting with the parents was something he had no desire to be a part of. Regardless of the type of relationship, he never wanted to meet other mammals’ relations. That made them real. Real mammals tended to be harder to ignore, or con. Unfortunately, he was in a bind. He’d been raised to pay his debts and he certainly owed not only Judy but her parents and family. Also, Judy had been so anxious when she asked him, he couldn’t disappoint her. The trouble was that he had no idea what he was being introduced as.

He’d also spent almost two months without a change of clothes while living in a log. Vampires didn’t get sick any more than lycanthropes did, but it was an appearances thing. If he was going to meet these rabbit-were-buns whatever they were, he at least wanted to make a good impression. Difficult to manage when caked in dirt and wearing glorified rags in a floral print. He was hardly naked, but he did not like the recently-risen, island-zombie look.

Judy, on the other hand, was unconcerned with his state of disrepair. She was also completely indifferent to his nudity, as she demonstrated by dragging him to the river, stripping him out of his clothes and shoving him in. Nick was immobilized by the frigid temperature long enough for her to hop in after him and start scrubbing him with pawfuls of sand. Once he was thoroughly brutalized to her standards of cleanliness, she allowed him to scramble out of the water. While she gave his clothes a rough cleaning on a rock, he shook himself dry-ish and sat in a mix of pouting and anxiety. Despite the chilly bite of the water, the air was the easy warmth of midsummer and too quickly for the fox, both he and his clothes were dry.

Too soon for his taste, Nick found himself approaching a massive compound. The huge house dominating the center was surrounded by more outbuildings than he felt comfortable with. Judy was blithely pointing out features and points of note for the farm; barracks, barns, silos, shops, shacks, and fields. All very pastoral. All very obvious cover for her own nerves.

For a moment, Nick wondered how often it happened that a male vampire fox got to meet the family of their were-rabbit friend while looking like a hobo while she was completely naked.

_Da da da! I’m dead!_

Judy was not surprised that everyone was hiding. Early evening in summer was the most active portion of the day, after dawn. The littlest kits would be a frantic mass of tumbling activity as they spent the energy from their dinner, while the older rabbits would be occupied with homework, socializing, reading, or other pastimes. The yard was empty. A touch eerie, even for the eldest were-bun of her generation. However, with a stranger coming to visit, and a strange one at that, most everyone would hide until the stranger was made welcome, or dead. Judy knew half a dozen of her lycanthropic siblings were waiting just out of sight in case anything went wrong.

Her mother had cornered her days previously about her secretive behavior and the unusual guest residing in the Hollow. Both of which had been investigated by her, personally. The initial terror Judy had felt for her friend had quickly been assuaged. The fox was not about to be slaughtered as a matter of course. Bonnie acknowledged that her daughter would never allow him to stay if he was a genuine risk to her or her family. Her Beast was a failsafe in absolute terms, on that account; the primal personality often being a better judge of character than the mammal. It was a boost of confidence to Judy to hear that the trust she placed in him was enough to gain him a chance to plead his case, such as it was, to her parents. It gave her the confidence to ask him, after a couple days of negotiations with her mother.

The meeting was an absolute requirement. The reception depended on him. Judy’s part was simple. She had to bring him to them and make him presentable. That was as far as their respect went, but it was far more than she had hoped for.

The doorway opened, spilling light onto the porch where they stood. An anxious pair of rabbits emerged. To Nick’s eye, one was a tubby, very strong and male. Obviously, Judy’s father and by far the more anxious of the two. The other, who could only by the mother, was matronly and sweet looking, except for the eyes that bore through him like a diamond drill.

“Mom. Dad. Um… This is Nick.”

The female spoke first. “You’ve done as we agreed, Judy. You brought him here and he looks as presentable as he could be, considering where he’s been living.” Nick gulped at the firm, even tone of the doe’s voice. A moment later, he was stifling a giggle. “You, on the other hand, seem to have forgotten all your manners. You’re twenty years old. Where are your clothes?”

Judy flushed slightly in embarrassment and glared at Nick before haring off to the barracks structure to quickly dress.

In her absence, Nick was left with the two rabbits. Both of whom, he was plainly aware, could tear him into meaty chunks in a heartbeat. That only gave his amusement at Judy’s expense a slightly hysterical quality, when it slipped out from behind his paw.

“I swear. That girl…” The doe rabbit sighed, before turning back to the uncomfortable fox. “I am Bonnie Hopps. This is my husband, Stu. And you are Nick…?”

“Wilde. Nick Wilde, ma’am.” Nick hesitated. “I’m not sure how you’d react to me offering a pawshake and I’d rather not die from a faux pas.”

Both rabbits blinked at him for a moment before bursting into laughter.

The buck, Stu, finally found his voice. “Alright. I see why.”

“See why what, sir?” Nick asked, uncertainly.

“Why she didn’t kill you, or at least run you off.”

“I’m glad you know. I certainly don’t.”

Bonnie piped up. “An odd thing to say. Don’t you know why she spared you?”

“At first, she didn’t.” The confused looks he got were not ones he liked. “Um… I can’t speak to her reasons for sparing me, but I’m glad she did.”

Bonnie hummed and cast a considering look over her guest. “That remains to be seen.” Nick swallowed audibly.

Sensing the mildly sobered mood, Stu took the lead. “What are your intentions towards my daughter, fox?”

Nick’s eyebrow raised while Bonnie face-pawed. For a moment the two shared a look. Nick felt a touch less like a dead todd walking. “Uncertain, sir. I admit we’ve managed to reach a common ground, but I’d say we’re somewhere between acquaintances and friends at the moment. It’s far too soon for me to say more.”

“A sensible response and I can smell that you’re sincere.” Bonnie sniffed. “And scared.”

“Just a lot.” Nick smiled weakly.

Stu bulled on. “I still want to know why Judy spared you.”

“You’d have to ask her Beast, I think. She was the one who stopped.”

Now, both rabbits were staring slack-jawed. “You know about her Beast?”

“Judy had to explain after we met.”

“Had to?”

“The conversation was really hard for me to follow until she explained there were three of us involved in it. Especially with the whole double voice thing.”

At that moment, Judy chose to return. She wished she hadn’t almost instantly.

“Mom? Dad? Is everything ok?”

Bonnie found her voice first. “Judy. Transform. Now.”

“I just got dressed!”

“Transform, now, young lady! He knows about your Beast and I will see with my own eyes how your wiser-self regards this fox.”

Nick was petrified at the sudden change in tone.

“Yes, ma’am,” she grumbled as she stripped.

She was much more self-conscious of her nudity. Especially, as she had just been admonished for it minutes ago. Getting naked in front of her parents and Nick was exceedingly embarrassing. Blessedly, it wasn’t for long. As soon as she was out of her clothes, Beast surged up and took control.

Beast had been paying rapt attention to the goings on around her and had been displeased at leaving the scene on the porch for something as pointless as clothing. Upon returning, She had been impatiently awaiting her turn to express her opinion of the vampire. Just as both Judy and Nick suspected She would, Beast made immediately for Nick and glomped him, pulling him into her chest and snuggling in. Judy was thankful for not being in charge for such an embarrassing display.

Nick, on the other hand, was resigned. Despite himself, he had gotten used to the extreme forms of affection that Beast made a part of their lives. The hugging, cuddling, and trilling were nothing new to him. He patted feebly at the enormous rabbit’s head and smiled wryly.

Bonnie goggled.

Stu fainted.

The rest of the household, who had been eavesdropping, poked their noses out for a better look.

The rabbit kits who were too young to understand fear crept out between legs and over furniture, moving closer to their sister and her suddenly much less intimidating guest. Nick wasn’t exactly surprised. It was hard to look even slightly intimidating when being cuddled by a rabbit several times one’s size. It helped that Judy in Were form appeared to be a combination of the Incredible Hulk and a tribble. By comparison, Nick looked exactly like what Beast always called him. A dolly.

First, it was one. Then, it was seven. Then it was several dozen kits all hopping up to touch him. Beast obligingly sat down, so her siblings could have an easier time of it. As soon as she was seated, the fluffle swarmed forward. Tiny paws touched, petted and sniffed him from every angle. Especially his tail. Nick wasn’t exactly surprised but quickly became somewhat claustrophobic.

Very gently, he began to disentangle himself from Beast’s clutches and wriggling his way to freedom. Beast didn’t fight unduly, for once. Nick was too eager to get a little breathing room to think about it too much. As soon as he was free to move, he climbed up Beast’s shoulder and popped his wings out. He made sure to glide slowly, so as not to upset anyone. He just needed a little space to breathe.

“Listen, kits. I don’t mind getting to know you, but can you give me a little more breathing room? It’s a little overwhelming when you come in a horde.” Nick chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood a touch.

He feared his joke had fallen flat until one of the little ones squeaked, “He can fly!” then he was swarmed with requests for rides.

An hour later, Stu was dozing on the porch swing with a Mint Julip half empty in his paw. He’d come to long enough to see the winged fox glide by the porch with a squealing kit in his paws and nearly fainted, again. His hyperventilating was stopped after Bonnie summoned a mixologist from among her elder kits to fix him a drink. The alcohol combined with his elevated heart rate saw him calm shortly afterwards, leaving the fox busy and the girls to chat.

Bonnie and Judy were sitting on the stairs, watching Nick take the little ones for rides around the yard. Most of the older kits had taken the events on the porch and their parents’ reactions as good things. A few still kept a wary eye on the flying fox, but otherwise, the yard had returned to its usual state of a summer evening. Anyone not waiting for a turn in the air was playing a game, lounging, or was otherwise occupied.

Nick was getting tired, but enjoying himself. The kits loved him. He had spent less than five seconds at a time on the ground since he’d first unfurled his wings. Judy’s amusement was boundless as she watched him swoop another of her little siblings off the ground for a sedate glide around the yard, the kit squealing in delight the entire time.

“He’s good with kits.”

Her mother’s words sobered her instantly. “What?”

“Your fox. He’s good with kits.”

“Why is that important?”

Bonnie side-eyed her kit with a weary smile. “Why do you think, Bunbun?”

Judy’s eyes bugged. “It’s not like that!”

“It could be.”

“What?!”

“You enjoy each other’s company. He’s sweet and good with kits. He’s a vampire, so he’ll live about as long as you will. A lot of couples start with a lot less.” Judy couldn’t believe what she was hearing and her staring silence got her mother’s attention. “Judy, you’re a lycanthrope. Your father and I were so lucky to fall in love with each other. The sob stories of Were and mortal romances are so endemic. It can take decades to find a mate who will live as long as you will and you’re a rabbit, honey. You have needs.”

Naturally, Nick chose that moment to reappear.

“Carrots, I need a sip.”

Judy barely heard him and held out her arm on reflex. “Here.”

Nick addressed the admittedly smaller appendage than he was now used to, just as he addressed her arm in Beast form. Everything was the same, only smaller and less muscular until he bit. He was not prepared for the gasps. One from Judy, as her ears flushed. Another came from her mother. Between them came a chorus of smaller ones. Nick quickly swallowed and laved the wound.

“You ok, fluff?” Nick nervously asked. He was doing well, but he was by no means out of the woods, as far as he was concerned. Every eye was trained on them as he asked and he was certain his hunger-driven carelessness could see him dead if Judy said the wrong thing.

Judy’s jaw worked a bit, but no sounds came out. Nick looked askance at Bonnie, who shook herself before smiling warmly and waving him off.

“She’s fine, dear. Now, off you go. The kits are waiting.”

Nick felt the tension bleed out of the atmosphere at her words and nodded his thanks.

Groaning, he popped his wings back out and took to the air, again, muttering, “Slave drivers…”

Bonnie chuckled. As soon as he was gone, she turned to her daughter and said, “You’re lucky he’s tired and distracted, or your little secret would be out.”

“Secret?”

“Judy, your pheromone balance shifted the moment his mouth touched your arm. You liked that.”

“I didn’t!” Bonnie rolled her eyes in response. “He’s never fed from me before. I wasn’t thinking.”

“What are you talking about, Bunb-” It clicked. “He’s only fed from Beast?” Judy nodded vehemently, causing her ears to flop wildly. “Oh, my…”

“What? Mom, what?!”

“Well, sweetheart, it’s not for me to say, really, but your Beast obviously likes him and trusts him enough to feed him. You like him, or at least part of you does. So, I have to wonder.”

“Wonder what?” Judy squeaked.

“Why you’re in denial.”

“I’ve known his for a couple weeks!”

“It can happen faster.”

“He’s a fox!”

“A handsome one, too, isn’t he?”

At that, Judy’s mind finally stopped working. In the mental vacuum, she became aware of her surroundings. There were a number of her family that were watching the fox and not all with a calculating, or hostile eye. None were amorous, but many were curious. She was so intent on her surroundings that she missed the dual-voiced whine that escaped her throat in response to her mother’s words.

Bonnie smiled to herself and rolled her eyes at her daughter. Waving a few of her children over, she set them to the task of helping her husband to their room. Then, she addressed Judy.

“Come on, Judy. We have a pair of guest rooms to make up.”

“What? Why?”

“I think we can trust your friend enough to give him a better place to sleep than a log in the woods. The guest wing will be separate enough to keep the nervous ones calm, especially with you in the next room, and give him a little breathing room when he needs it. I’ll send the boys over to collect your things and move you into your new quarters.”  
“Mom?”

Bonnie didn’t stop walking and stifled her laughter as she heard her daughter scramble after her.

“Mom?!”

Hours later, very close to dawn, Nick was striving to relax enough to sleep. His wings were cramped from overexertion. Those kits had really run him ragged. He’d needed to feed four more times before it had finally gotten late enough for the kits to be herded off to their little beds. That hadn’t stopped a few of the tiniest from camping out on his tail while he rested. They had been the last to be removed and he hadn’t moved until they had been collected by Bonnie and her eldest kits.

If he was honest, he had no complaints. He’d survived, managed to make a decent impression and even upgraded from a log to a bed. He had a sneaking suspicion it was so they could keep a closer eye on him, but he had to admit sheets were a really, really nice change. He was also a little discommoded at the warmth of Bonnie’s smile and the consideration of the others who de-kitted his tail at the end. They were surprisingly mindful, almost reflective.

There had been a few close calls, like the tiny kit who toddled over to him as he rested between flights. He’d been going for a while and hadn’t had a sip, so he was feeling the hunger. Judy was nowhere to be found. The kit pulled herself up the stairs to sit beside him and looked up.

“You hungwy?”

Nick smiled at the little bunny and nodded. “A little.”

To Nick’s astonishment, the toddler pushed the sleeve of her romper up to her shoulder and offered him her arm. The whole yard went silent, waiting on his response. In retrospect, he was probably closer to death in that moment than ever before, but he was too tired to realize it. He also realized that was probably to his advantage. He was too tired to panic.

“Thank you, but no. I made your sister a promise that I would help keep you safe and I can’t say I did if I bite you, can I?”

“You bite her.”

“I do. She gave me very special permission. She can because she’s a grown rabbit.”

“And a were-bun!”

“And a were-bun.” Nick chuckled. “Now, when you’re all grown up like your sister you can do what she did, but until then don’t let anyone bite you.”

“Terry tries to bite me a lot. He’s stupid.”

“Who is Terry?”

“My brother.”

“Well, don’t let him either, ok?”

The little rabbit nodded enthusiastically and hopped back down the stairs to join her siblings at play, again. Only then did Nick realize that Judy had, in fact, returned with her mother. Judy looked like she was about to panic and bolt for some reason while Bonnie was giving her pointed looks. Several other rabbits were looked fawningly at him. He had no idea what any of it meant and he couldn’t claim to care at the time. He was starving and wasn’t dead. The oddness was an afterthought so long as he had flight duty on the farmyard.

The theme of peculiarity that had permeated the evening continued in the resurgence of Judy’s embarrassment. She’d never had any problem with it before, so Nick assumed it was from all the attention they were getting. Judy’s reactions only grew increasingly strained as the evening wore on. He’d fly until his power was spent, then he’d get a refill and head off again. He noticed her averting her eyes and keeping more of a distance, but wasn’t overly concerned. The scrutiny was making him uncomfortable and he was busy most of the time. She had to sit on the sidelines and talk to her family.

By the time he had his last feeding everyone else had gotten used to him taking a sip. No one was thrilled about it, but they had stopped staring. If anything, they’d grown curious but were too polite to ask anything, just yet. Judy, on the other paw, had grown increasingly difficult to pin down so he even could take a sip. She’d been so speedy in her departure after the last one, she barely let him seal the punctures.

Nick shifted on his bed. All that was a concern for after sunset. He needed rest. Especially, as Wilde Airlines was booked solid for the foreseeable future.


End file.
